19 Aug 2015
Anyone aged eight to 80 can go tree climbing at the National Forest Wood Fair on August Bank Holiday Monday (31 August).
Under careful supervision and using ropes and harness, visitors to the Wood Fair will be able to climb up into the canopy of one of the veteran oak trees at Beacon Hill Country Park and get a bird's eye view over the Wood Fair site and the growing National Forest.
The National Trust's Calke Park will be bringing a taste of their incredibly popular Calke Explore and Natural Play area that is available at Calke Park this summer. Tick off some of their 50 Things to do before you're 11¾: den building, clambering over timber obstacles, making a home for woodland creatures.
Don't miss the Clwyd Axemen, the horse logging corral, the chainsaw carvers and the climbing wall!
All this is within the ticket entry price. And if you buy online before midday August 28 you save money and get 20% discount on the gate prices – enjoy a brilliant family day out for £20!
Advance tickets are also available from Ashby de la Zouch and Swadlincote Tourist Information Centres.
The National Forest Wood Fair takes place in the stunning setting of Beacon Hill Country Park on Monday 31 August, 9am – 5pm, just five minutes from the M1 motorway, junctions 22/23. The event is organised by the National Forest Company in partnership with Leicestershire County Council, and is sponsored by Vitax.
For more information and to book online see www.nationalforestwoodfair.co.uk
Ends
Media contact: Carol Rowntree Jones, National Forest Company: 01283 551211 / mob: 07870 568628.
email: crowntreejones@nationalforest.org
For more information on The National Forest see www.nationalforest.org
Digital images are available. Contact media@nationalforest.org
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover in the Forest has more than trebled to reach 20 per cent. In 2012 HRH the Duke of Cambridge planted the eight millionth tree in the Forest.
- Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental, social and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus both to economic regeneration and to community pride and activity.
- To achieve these objectives, the National Forest Company leads the creation of The National Forest, working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, private business, voluntary organisations and local communities and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public. The Company receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
- The National Forest Company's Triennial Review by Central Government in 2013 stated: “Many [stakeholders] stressed the need for the continued role of the NFC to maintain momentum and ensure that the long term aims for The National Forest are achieved. The importance of a 'truly sustainable landscape scale project' was stressed, with the need for continued objectives across a wide agenda including economic growth, woodland culture and habitat networks.”
- In 2008, the National Forest Company and partners won the inaugural Sustainable Development UK Award, for their work in Ashby Woulds, at the heart of The National Forest.
